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The Eyes Of The Captain

by Solar Ritual

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about

"The Eyes Of The Captain" is the first single from the upcoming EP "Queen of Ocean Dreams."

The track began with a few simple chords strummed on my acoustic guitar and a rough idea for a melody. I had begun the process of writing lyrics for the EP with a loose nautical theme exploring various characters associated with oceanic imagery.

After recording several demos direct to my the audio recorder on my phone, I could not get a vocal performance I was satisfied with. Around this time, I was listening frequently to Parliament of Trees, the recording project of my old friend Matt Souza. I was immensely inspired by the gloriously tranquil nature of his mostly acoustic songs. After recording some basic instrumental tracks in Bandcamp, I sent Matt the song with my scratch vocal and asked him to make it better. What he sent me back was predictably brilliant, and I finally had a version of the "The Eyes Of The Captain" that I was content with.

Next, after experimenting with a noise interlude, synth orchestration, a weird verse and an acoustic guitar "solo," I contacted my dear friend Gregory Bortnichak. I asked him to improvise cello throughout the song and play whatever felt good. He too, sent me back multiple tracks of brilliance. I loved it all, and it killed me to keep cutting away at his cello until all that remained is the small "solo" in the place of a third verse.

After all the instrumental tracks and vocals were in place, I recorded my vocals. As Matt is such a stronger singer than me, I purposely left my vocals low in the mix, barely audible on the verses and serving as just an accompaniment to him on the chorus.

Now it was time for editing and mixing, a process that took way too much time. I was pleased with my first mix, but then kept fucking with it, adding, removing, adjusting tiny things and working on stuff that no one will ever notice. Finally, the mix I ended up with was very similar to where I started. Very simple acoustic, bass, drums vocals and the cello on the solo.

This is certainly the most produced Solar Ritual track ever and is the opener from the upcoming EP "Queen of Ocean Dreams."

lyrics

The call of the sea
To desperate souls
Reflected in a captain's eyes
Dead and cold
Dead and cold

Lost this night
Moving towards the unknown
The fog obscures the lighthouse
And his heart's blackened tone

The call of the sea
To desperate souls
Reflected in a captain's eyes
Dead and cold
Dead and cold

Search for this light
It will guide you home
Blue seas consume your heart
And bleed the ocean's foam

The call of the sea
To desperate souls
Reflected in a captain's eyes
Dead and cold
Dead and cold

The call of the sea
To desperate souls
Reflected in a captain's eyes
Dead and cold
Dead and cold

credits

released September 3, 2021
Ben Allen: guitar, bass, vocals, drum programming, songwriting, recording, editing, mixing
Matt Souza: vocals
Gregory Bortnichak: cello

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all rights reserved

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Solar Ritual Seattle, Washington

Solar Ritual is a recording project by Ben Allen.

All music is written, recorded, mixed and produced by Allen.

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